


A Round of Ginger Beer

by Wonderlandleighleigh



Series: That One Building [2]
Category: Captain America, Chuck - Fandom, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/M, Gen, Just bro'in, Past Chuck/Bryce, bisexual Chuck Bartowski, past Chuck/Jill
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-18
Updated: 2016-06-18
Packaged: 2018-07-15 19:34:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,362
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7235755
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wonderlandleighleigh/pseuds/Wonderlandleighleigh
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Chuck and Steve about life, and being in love with women who can murder them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Round of Ginger Beer

It’s quiet a week later, and he’s settling in relatively well. 

He still doesn’t really know what to do. He’s placed his few personal effects around the spacious apartment. Some old photos. Odds and ends. Bits and bobs. Tony gave him the shield back, and he’s storing it in the hall closet. He doesn’t want to look at it right now. 

Nights are cool in September, and he sits on the roof and watches the city. Sometimes he sketches. Sometimes he doesn’t. 

Tonight, he’s got a couple cans of ginger beer, and his sketchbook, sitting on the ledge, looking out. 

The door (the one not connected to his apartment) opens, and he glances back, grinning politely. 

“Hey, Chuck.” 

Chuck Bartowski wanders over and leans on the ledge. “Hey, Steve. How’s it going?” 

Steve nods as he sips the pleasantly bitter beverage in his hand. “Not bad. Y’know. Just...quiet night.” 

Chuck lifts an eyebrow at him, good-natured as always. “Seems like that might be all nights for you, recently.” 

Steve takes a breath and considers that. “Sayin’ I should get out more?”

“Might not be the worst thing that ever happened to you,” Chuck comments. “Ooh. Ginger beer. You mind?” 

“Go for it.” 

Chuck grabs one and cracks it open, taking a long sip. “Mmm. I love this stuff.” 

Steve grins. “Tony thinks I’m crazy for drinking it straight without any booze.” 

“Nah, it’s great.” 

“So. You were saying.” 

Chuck nods. “Look, I...for a long time, I didn’t do...anything. I worked at a crummy electronics chain. I rarely dated, and when I did, I made a mess of it. I hid in video games and books, which in moderate amounts are great, but I started to get bed sores and it was not a good scene.” 

Steve frowns deeply. “What happened?” 

“My then-girlfriend cheated on me with my then-best friend, who I was kinda also sorta seeing a little, and said best friend got me kicked out of school.” 

Steve blinks, looking surprised. 

“Yeah. So...I wallowed. Five years of wallowing, actually,” Chuck says sheepishly. “And I know you’re not wallowing. I mean...I mean you’re Captain America. Captain America doesn’t wallow.” 

Steve grins sheepishly. “I’m not Captain America right now.” He looks down at the can in his hand. “Cap’s takin’ a breather. I’m just Steve. Steve does all sorts of things that Cap doesn’t.” 

“They’re really not the same person at all?” Chuck asks. 

“I...sometimes I feel like I’m still figuring that out.” 

“Well,” Chuck says, hoisting his lanky frame to sit next to him on the ledge. “You’ve been here a week. What’s the plan?” 

“I...I don’t know...I have options...Army says they’re more than willing to send me back to school...I guess I could...I don’t know. Get a job.” 

“Buy More is usually hiring,” Chuck jokes. 

“I don’t think they’re gonna take on somebody who slept through the creation of the home computer,” Steve cracks. 

“You’d be surprised,” Chuck tells him. “So. School. Job. Other options?” 

Steve gestures his can down at the sketchpad on his lap. “There’s always this. Or...I don’t know. I’ve been emailed by a bunch of colleges and museums who want me to give talks. I don’t know what they want me to say, though. I guess they want details about the war and...the price of a loaf of bread in 1930 or somethin, I don’t know.” 

Chuck nods. “Any of those sound appealing to you?” 

“Art school was…” Steve shrugs. “I only went for a year before the scholarship money ran out…but it was good. It was...I liked it a lot.” He sets his can down and taps the sketchpad with his pencil. “It’s funny. Before the Accords...before Rumlow pulled that stunt in Laos...things made sense. Leading the team in the field, helping Wanda and Vision...palin’ around with Sam and Rhodey and Nat...it was good. It was…” He looks down. “And then Peg…” 

“Yeah...Tony mentioned…” 

“I came back and nothing made sense. Nothing. And then I found out she was still alive and even if she wasn’t always all there it was still her, you know?” Steve says, swallowing. “And now she’s gone, and for months, I been feelin’ like I’m right back where I was when I got back, before I knew she was still around.” 

Chuck pats his shoulder. “I know, buddy. I’m so sorry.” 

Steve nods and rubs his face. 

“But... I mean, let’s be honest,” Chuck goes on. “Would THE Peggy Carter want you to wallow?” 

Steve huffs out a sad laugh. “She would try to shoot me again. She barely let me wallow over Bucky when I thought he was dead.” 

The other man snickers. “Right? God. What is it about a woman who is not afraid to kill you?” 

“You, too, huh?” Steve grins. 

“I mean...the woman I married once broke a picture frame by throwing a pencil at it,” Chuck tells him. “She’s broken a man’s pinky with just her own pinky. Thailand collectively refers to my wife as 'The Giant Blonde Shemale.' She can strangle somebody with her thighs!” 

Steve laughs hard. “The first time I saw Peggy, she was doing an introduction for us new recruits to the SSR, and this one guy- Hodge. He starts usin’ these terrible lines on her. Just...I mean, seriously, just awful. Somethin’ about...Wrastlin, or something. And Peggy tells him to step up, and then she just sucker punches him in the face! I never saw a dame so pretty aim so accurately.” 

“I have,” Chuck grins at him. “Y’know, speaking of…I know that you’re still grieving over Peggy. But...once you’re feeling a little less sad...Zondra is great.” 

“God, how does everybody seem to know about that?” Steve huffs. 

“Buddy, you are not subtle around the women you’re attracted to,” Chuck tells him. “I mean, you pass Miranda, or Carina, or Sarah, you seem fine. They’re just people and you treat ‘em that way. But Zondra walks by you, and you turn into my friend Morgan during his awkward “whenever a beautiful woman passes me, my shoes magically come untied and I fall on my face” period.” 

“That bad, huh?” 

“Y’know...it’s way more adorable on you than it was on Morgan.” 

Steve chuckles. “I got that goin’ for me.” 

Chuck grins. “I think all the CATs are here for the fall and winter. They’re being loaned out to Fury a little, but other than that, they collectively decided they needed a break.” 

Steve nods. “I guess that’s goin around.” 

“Not for me,” Chuck says. “Nope. I am busy, busy. Tony’s got me on seven different projects. Clean energy being top priority, but he’s also put me on armored vehicles that run on something that isn’t petrol for the military, and he is really gung ho about affordable updated tech for New York public schools that won’t cost everyone involved a fortune.” 

“That’s a lot,” Steve says. 

“Yeah, but I can handle it,” Chuck tells him. ‘I got a good team, too, so that helps. And Tony and Pepper’s full support doesn’t hurt either.” 

“Maybe I could work for Stark,” Steve jokes. “Help Happy with security.” 

Chuck puts a hand over his mouth, obviously trying not to laugh. 

“Yeah, probably not,” Steve concedes with a grin. “Sarah home yet?” 

“Yep,” Chuck nods. “Just takin’ a long, hot bath. She likes to have a little space when she first gets home. But in like twenty minutes it’s gonna be cuddlepoluza.” 

“Cuddle...what?” 

Chuck cringes. “Y’know never mind. I’m not repeating that, no one should ever repeat that, I’m gonna go.” 

Steve laughs as he watches the other man hop down. “Thanks, Chuck. Really. It was...it was good to talk.” 

“Any time,” Chuck nods, grinning at him. “Have a good night.” 

“Say hello to Sarah for me.” 

“Yep!” 

The door closes, and Steve looks back out at the city, breathing in the crisp, but still mildly humid air. The sounds from the street below play like music, and he takes another sip of ginger beer, and keeps drawing.


End file.
